The Israeli food-tech company EFISHient Protein announced this week that it succeeded in developing a prototype of a cultured tilapia fish fillet, based on lab-grown cells. The company says that the prototype resembles the structure and texture of a real tilapia fillet.
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According to the company, this is a significant breakthrough in developing different types of cultured white fish which will reduce the harm to the ocean's ecosystem and the environment. However, it is still unclear if and when the product will hit the market.
"We arrived at the first prototype of a tilapia fish fillet after working and we will continue to work vigorously to bring the products to the market soon," the company's CEO Dana Levin told Ynet. "At the moment it is too early to commit to an estimated date for the commercial launch of the product."
According to Levin, the company's technology will allow it to produce fish substitutes at competitive prices compared to fish from traditional sources: "One of the most significant challenges of the cultured meat market is the transition to production on an industrial scale. This is why our business strategy is based on upgrading existing production technologies in the food sector."
EFISHient Protein was founded in 2020 by the Biomeat and the Volcani Institute partnership, and is one of the many Israeli companies that develop cultured fish and seafood. This includes companies such as Wanda Fish, Sea-2-Cell, Forsea and Mermade Seafoods and Oshi, which develops a salmon fillet based on vegetable protein.
Israel is one of the leading countries in the global food-tech industry. According to GFI Israel, a research institute that works to promote the alternative protein field, $454 million were invested in Israeli companies in the field which make up 15 percent of global investments in 2022. The Israeli industry was second only to the U.S., which raised approximately $1.246 billion. Investments in Israeli companies in the field crossed the billion-dollar mark in 2021-2022.
So far, investors' attention has focused on companies that are engaged in the development of cultured meat, including Alf Farms, Believer Meats, Stakeholder Foods, SuperMeat and MeatAfora. EFISHient Protein's announcement indicates that the Israeli industry has something to show in the field of cultured fish as well.
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Cultured meat became a global phenomenon, set to meet the growing need for meat
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Following the announcement, CEO of GFI Israel, Nir Goldstein, said "while global demand for fish and seafood is expected to increase by 14% by 2030, it is not possible to increase fishing without significantly harming the oceans. That is why many initiatives have arisen in recent years to produce fish substitutes, quite a few of them Israeli.
"The issue is particularly important these days, while Israel's supply routes are threatened. Israel imports over 90% of its fish consumption. A shift to local production using these innovative technologies will strengthen national food security, help protect the oceans, and provide an answer to a growing population of consumers, looking for seafood that does not harm the environment."